In this review, we will be comparing Epikore 9 and RTi A9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from DALI and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Epikore 9 and Polk RTi A9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | DALI Epikore 9 | Polk RTi A9 |
|---|
| Brand | DALI
Denmark · founded 1983 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 4-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 2 x 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Wood fibre | 3 x 7" Polymer composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 29-34k Hz | 30-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 40-500 watts | 50-500 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 34.09kg / 75lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 51.61" x 16.61" x 21.81"
1311 x 422 x 554 mm | 48-1/16" x 10-11/16" x 21-1/2"
1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Epikore 9 is a 4-way design whereas the RTi A9 is a 3-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
DALI Epikore 9Polk RTi A9
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
DALI Epikore 9 |
Polk RTi A9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
4-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.38-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
2 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 7-inch
|
Epikore 9 features a 1.38" Hybrid dome + planar Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8" Wood fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 400 / 3100 / 12500Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A9 features a 1" Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 7" Polymer composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
Epikore 9 has a frequency range of 29-34k Hz whereas RTi A9 has a frequency range of 30-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Epikore 9 can go slightly deeper then the RTi A9's min frequency of 30Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Epikore 9 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A9 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Epikore 9 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Epikore 9 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the RTi A9's is rated at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A9 a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Epikore 9, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 500 watts RMS, though Epikore 9 is rated 40-500 watts and RTi A9 50-500 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Epikore 9 and RTi A9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI Epikore 9's and Polk RTi A9's external dimensions. DALI Epikore 9 has external dimensions of 1311 x 422 x 554 mm () whereas Polk RTi A9 has external dimensions of 1221.0 x 272.0 x 547.0mm (48-1/16 x 10-11/16 x 21-1/2inch).
DALI Epikore 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 150mm wider, 90mm taller and 7mm deeper than Polk RTi A9.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
DALI Epikore 9 needs about 57% more floor or shelf area. DALI Epikore 9 is 90mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the DALI Epikore 9 is approximately 2337.9cm2 / 362.4inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A9 is approximately 1487.8cm2 / 230.6inch2. The Epikore 9 requires 57% more surface area than the RTi A9 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A9?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A9:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Detachable black cloth grille
- 4 Screw-on spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure